SynthesisSystematic reviews2025
The global prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among the adult population: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Association of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme and Angiotensinogen Gene Polymorphism With Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Reviews in cardiovascular medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Prevalence and associated factors of self-medication with antibiotics among pediatric population in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pediatrics · 2025Pooled it
- Article
- Import of antibiotics by air travellers - an observational study at airports in Sweden and Norway.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2026Observational
- High prevalence of antibiotic purchase without prescription in community pharmacies in Bucaramanga, Colombia.IJID regions · 2026Article
- The prevalence and risk factors of drug allergy in Sri Lanka-a multi-centre cross-sectional observational study (2024-2025).The Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia · 2026Article
- Antimicrobial Resistance at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface: A One Health Perspective on Drivers, Transmission, and Public Health Responses.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Antibiotic Use and Antibiotic Resistance Among Adults in Communities of Montserrado County, Liberia: A Household-Based Cross-Sectional Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Prevalence and determinants of psychotropic drug self-medication among medical students at the university of Gondar, Ethiopia: the role of mental health stigma.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Assessment of self-medication practices and its associated factors among undergraduate students of private universities in Banadir region, Somalia.BMC medical education · 2026Observational
- Knowledge and attitude toward antibiotic use and self-medication with antibiotics among medical students.Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE · 2026Article
- Antimicrobial stewardship in community pharmacies in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State: practices, barriers, and facilitators.Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE · 2026Article
- Knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance among patients in rural South Africa and the implications for future policies.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Introducing professional drug information resources to non-healthcare undergraduates: a case report on promoting drug information literacy.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2026Article
- Prevalence and Associated Factors for Purchasing Antibiotics Without a Prescription Among Patients in Rural South Africa: Implications for Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Antibiotic Use and AMR in Low-Income Urban Delhi, India: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Surveying Self-Medication Practices and Attitudes Toward Antibiotic Use Among Adults in Primary Care.Cureus · 2025Article
- Antibiotic self-medication and home storage among university students in Vietnam: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Combatting antimicrobial resistance amidst the era of economic crisis: Public perceptions and antibiotic practices in Lebanon.Journal of public health research · 2025Article
- Health Literacy and Interventions on Antibiotics Use and AMR in Younger Generations in High-Income Countries-A Systematic Review.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAntibiotic self-medication (ASM) is when a person takes antibiotics without a prescription or consulting a healthcare professional. These practices contribute to the misuse of medicines and antibiotic resistance which is a growing global health threat that can lead to longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and increased mortality rates. Though various studies have been conducted on ASM in different countries, there has not yet been a systematic review that comprehensively assesses the problem in the entire globe. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the global pooled prevalence of antibiotic self-medication and the reasons for its practice.
methodA systematic search of electronic registers and databases was conducted on PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and gray literature including institutional repositories, and national health databases. It used carefully selected keywords and indexing terms in the past ten years. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical checklist extracted relevant data after appraisal. Narrative analysis was used for descriptive data while Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Software was used to analyze quantitative data. Statistics were used to look for heterogeneity, publication bias, and correlations. Sensitivity tests and sub-group analysis were employed to compare outcomes. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant in all cases.
resultsSeventy-one studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The total number of participants was 63,251 with sample sizes ranging from 110 to 15,526. In primary outcomes, ASM ranged from 0.65 to 92.2%. The pooled prevalence of ASM globally was 43.0% (95% CI: 38.0, 48.1%). A high degree of heterogeneity across studies was shown with I
conclusionASM practice was higher among African and student users. The previous successful experience was the most frequent reason reported. Educational level, gender, and age were often mentioned as predictor factors. Hence, designing interventional approaches that consider the different burdens among the target population and tackle the reasons for the practices might benefit averting antimicrobial resistance.
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